Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination
To review the anxiety and fear risk factors, pathophysiology, symptoms, screening and diagnosis while highlighting treatment considerations for women undergoing a pelvic examination. Methods: We reviewed the literature pertaining to anxiety and fear surrounding the pelvic examination to help guide h...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2021-02-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Primary Care & Community Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/2150132721992195 |
| _version_ | 1818610630441041920 |
|---|---|
| author | Danielle J. O’Laughlin Brittany Strelow Nicole Fellows Elizabeth Kelsey Sonya Peters Joy Stevens Johanna Tweedy |
| author_facet | Danielle J. O’Laughlin Brittany Strelow Nicole Fellows Elizabeth Kelsey Sonya Peters Joy Stevens Johanna Tweedy |
| author_sort | Danielle J. O’Laughlin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To review the anxiety and fear risk factors, pathophysiology, symptoms, screening and diagnosis while highlighting treatment considerations for women undergoing a pelvic examination. Methods: We reviewed the literature pertaining to anxiety and fear surrounding the pelvic examination to help guide health care providers’ on available screening options and to review options for individualized patient management. Results: Anxiety and fear are common before and during the pelvic examination. In fact, the pelvic exam is one of the most common anxiety-provoking medical procedures. This exam can provoke negative physical and emotional symptoms such as pain, discomfort, anxiety, fear, embarrassment, and irritability. These negative symptoms can interfere with preventative health screening compliance resulting in delayed or avoided care and significant health consequences. Conclusion: Assessing women for anxiety related to pelvic examinations may help decrease a delay or avoidance of examinations. Risk factor and symptom identification is also a key component in this. General anxiety questionnaires can help identify women with anxiety related to pelvic examinations. Strategies to reduce anxiety, fear and pain during a pelvic examination should routinely be implemented, particularly in women with high-risk factors or those identified with screening techniques as having anxiety, fear or pain with examinations. Treatment options should be targeted at understanding the patient’s concerns, starting conversations about pelvic examinations early, educating patient’s about the examination and offering the presence of a chaperone or support person. During an examination providers should ensure the patient is comfortable, negative phrases are avoided, the correct speculum size is utilized and proper lubrication, draping, dressing and positioning are performed. Treating underlying gynecologic or mental health conditions, consideration of cognitive behavioral therapy and complementary techniques such as lavender aromatherapy and music therapy should also be considered when appropriate. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T15:17:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b6b145a235334972927fc9789b2c6f49 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-1327 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T15:17:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Primary Care & Community Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-b6b145a235334972927fc9789b2c6f492022-12-21T22:26:45ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Primary Care & Community Health2150-13272021-02-011210.1177/2150132721992195Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic ExaminationDanielle J. O’Laughlin0Brittany Strelow1Nicole Fellows2Elizabeth Kelsey3Sonya Peters4Joy Stevens5Johanna Tweedy6Assistant professor in medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Rochester, MN, USAAssistant professor in medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Rochester, MN, USAInstructor in surgery and medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Rochester, MN, USAInstructor in medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Rochester, MN, USAInstructor in medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Rochester, MN, USAInstructor in medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Rochester, MN, USAInstructor in medicine, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Rochester, MN, USATo review the anxiety and fear risk factors, pathophysiology, symptoms, screening and diagnosis while highlighting treatment considerations for women undergoing a pelvic examination. Methods: We reviewed the literature pertaining to anxiety and fear surrounding the pelvic examination to help guide health care providers’ on available screening options and to review options for individualized patient management. Results: Anxiety and fear are common before and during the pelvic examination. In fact, the pelvic exam is one of the most common anxiety-provoking medical procedures. This exam can provoke negative physical and emotional symptoms such as pain, discomfort, anxiety, fear, embarrassment, and irritability. These negative symptoms can interfere with preventative health screening compliance resulting in delayed or avoided care and significant health consequences. Conclusion: Assessing women for anxiety related to pelvic examinations may help decrease a delay or avoidance of examinations. Risk factor and symptom identification is also a key component in this. General anxiety questionnaires can help identify women with anxiety related to pelvic examinations. Strategies to reduce anxiety, fear and pain during a pelvic examination should routinely be implemented, particularly in women with high-risk factors or those identified with screening techniques as having anxiety, fear or pain with examinations. Treatment options should be targeted at understanding the patient’s concerns, starting conversations about pelvic examinations early, educating patient’s about the examination and offering the presence of a chaperone or support person. During an examination providers should ensure the patient is comfortable, negative phrases are avoided, the correct speculum size is utilized and proper lubrication, draping, dressing and positioning are performed. Treating underlying gynecologic or mental health conditions, consideration of cognitive behavioral therapy and complementary techniques such as lavender aromatherapy and music therapy should also be considered when appropriate.https://doi.org/10.1177/2150132721992195 |
| spellingShingle | Danielle J. O’Laughlin Brittany Strelow Nicole Fellows Elizabeth Kelsey Sonya Peters Joy Stevens Johanna Tweedy Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination Journal of Primary Care & Community Health |
| title | Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination |
| title_full | Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination |
| title_fullStr | Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination |
| title_short | Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination |
| title_sort | addressing anxiety and fear during the female pelvic examination |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/2150132721992195 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT daniellejolaughlin addressinganxietyandfearduringthefemalepelvicexamination AT brittanystrelow addressinganxietyandfearduringthefemalepelvicexamination AT nicolefellows addressinganxietyandfearduringthefemalepelvicexamination AT elizabethkelsey addressinganxietyandfearduringthefemalepelvicexamination AT sonyapeters addressinganxietyandfearduringthefemalepelvicexamination AT joystevens addressinganxietyandfearduringthefemalepelvicexamination AT johannatweedy addressinganxietyandfearduringthefemalepelvicexamination |